kelson habris



(No Model.) J. N; HARRIS.

VEHIGLB AXLE AND HUB.

'PatentedNov. 2, 1886.

Fig-.1. .{I

INVENTOR;

By his Attorngzys,

N PEN-Ins PMio-hlhugrapher. \llnshinghm, I10.

- UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

J. NELSON HARRIS, 'OF NEWV YORK,

N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO THE AMERICAN AXLE AND WHEEL COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

VEHICLE AXLE AND 'HUB.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 351,766, dated November 2, 1886.

A pplication filed August 5, 1886. Serial No. 210,059. (No model.)

To CLZZ whom it may concern.-

Beit known that I, J. NELSON HARRIS, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city, county, and State of New York, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Vehicle Axles and Hubs, of which the following is a specification. t

This invention relates to the sand-bands or sand collars of axles, and to the construction of the hub relatively thereto, whereby greasechambers are formed.

It also relates to theconstruction of wooden hubs.

- Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings is a vertical longitudinal section of an axle and wooden hub embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a similar view of a metal hub, the axle being in elevation. Fig. Sis an elevation of the neck portion of the axle with its sand-collar in section, and Fig. 4 is an end view of the sand-collar removed;

Let A designates the axle, B the hub, and O the sand-collar or sand-band.

The axle A consists of a square bed, D, a cylindrical neck, E, and an enlarged arm, F. The neck E is of smaller diameter than the arm and is larger than the bed-that is, its area of cross-section exceeds that of the bed. By preference, it is of a diameter equal to the cornerwise measurement of the bed.

The hub B. consists of a box, G, of any good a plug, I, which screws into .the end of the axle-arm. In Fig. 2 a cap, J, screws onto the hub, and servesto conceal this plug and exclude the dust.

The construction shown in Fig; 2 is the same as that shown in my application for patent on vehicle-hub, filed October 3,1885, and allowed April 15, 1886, with the exception of the device at the inner end of the hub for excluding sand and grit, which is modified according to my present invention.

The hub is made with its box G overhanging the bearing-surface of the arm at the inner end, and its end comes against a packingwasher, i, which is held in the sand-collar O.

flange, j, which projects toward the axle-arm, 1 as shown in Fig. 3. The collar is forced onto the neck of the axle by hydraulic pressure, or it is shrunk on or fastened with screws, or in any other manner. I prefer that it be forced or shrunk on. 4

The hub is made with an annular groove, k, at its inner end, which receives the flangej on the collar; but the flange does not touch the hub. Themortise-ring H (or outer portion of the hub) projects at Z far enough to cover and conceal the collar, the inner end thereof being preferably flush with the radial portionbf the collar. The groove k is formed in either the box G or in the mortise-ring H, or partly in each. s

The overhanging of the inner end of the box Gforms an annular grease-chamber, m, into which the spent grease works from the bearingsurface. 1n the groove is is formed another annular grease-chamber, n, which may be made by a groove in the outer side of the box, as shown. The spent grease from the bearingsurface first enters the chamber at and fills it. Then as it accumulates it passes out between the end of the box and the packingi and flows toward the right into the chamber n. When it has filled this, it flows toward the left,,out through the groove 70 to the outside of the hub, whence it drops off. Any particles of sand orgrit must pass in in the opposite difaces. In so doing the particles are held by the grease, and are gradually carried out with it. If by any possibility any particles should pass the chamber a, they would be arrested by the grease in the chamberm and thence carried .back out through the grooves.

The chamber misformed by the overhanging of the box beyond the arm and over the neck, and by the reducing of the neck to smaller diameter than the arm. This chamber is thus bounded by the outer surface of the axle, by the inner surface of the box, and by the surface of the packing-washer of the sand-collar. This washer, however, is not an essential part, and might be omitted. It forms, in effect, a

part of the sand-collar.

Thistcolla-r is fixed on the neck E, and has a rection before they can reach the bearing-sur- If the hub be removed from the axle the grease in chamber at is sheared off and remains 011 the neck of the axle, and when the hub is replaced it reincloses this ring of grease, which thus is not lost, but continues to perform its function as a grit-excluding packing.

The grease is preferably fed to the hearing by means of a screw'piston, 2, (shown in Fig.

1,) as fully described in my application filed March 5, 1866, and allowed April 10, 1886.

In the case of a wooden hub, as shown in Fig. 1, the box G is made with ribs or pins q, and the wooden mortise-ring is driven on from the outer end. It is retained in place by a flanged ring, K, which screws onto the end of the box. A nail or screw, 1', (one or more) is driven into the hub to prevent the unscrewing of this ring. A packingwasher. s, is placed inside this ring, against the end of the box, and the capJ is screwed into the ring against this washer. A tight joint is thus made, which prevents the escape of any grease or oil that may work out beyond the plug I. \Vere it not for this washer, the grease or oil would be apt to enter the screwthreads and find its way past the ring K into the wood, which it might saturate, and past the cap J to the outer end of the hub, which it would soil.

I am aware that it is not new to provide re hicle-axles with sand bands or collars to come against the inner end of the hub and prevent the entrance of grit to the bearing; also, that it is not new to make such collars with a flange projecting toward the hub; nor to make the hub with a groove to receive said flange; nor to place a washer in the flange for the end of the box to abut against; also, that it is not new to form a grease-groove in the hub, answering in position to my groove n; and also that it is not new to form an annular grease-chamber by means of a groove in the bearing-face of the axle-arm against the'inner face of the box. I make no claim to any of these features.

\Vhat I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

said axle-box and sand-collar, substantially as set forth.

3. An axle having an enlarged arm and a neck of less diameter, a sand-collar fixed on said neck, and a hub with its box overhanging said arm and extending to said collar, whereby an annular grease'chamber is formed within the overhanging end of said box, substantially as set forth.

. 4. An axle having an enlarged arm and a neck of less diameter, a sand-collar on said neck with a flange projecting outwardly, and ahub with its box overhanging said arm, and with an annular groove formed in its inner end to receive said flange, substantially as set forth, whereby an annular grease-chamber is formed within the overhanging end of said box, with a tortuous annular passage leading thence to the exterior.

5. A hub consisting of a metal box, a wood J. NELSON HARRIS.

Witnesses:

ARTHUR G. FRASER, GEoRGE H. FRASER. 

